Device for and system of regulating temperatures



June 30, 1925. I 1,544,259

H. w. 'MCQUAID ETJAL DEVICE Fokmn SYSTEM or: REGULATING TEMPERATURESFiled March 2, 1922- 4 Sheets-Shet t V N 40 a9 56 o a a 5 6 I 57 I 59 551 J l i "III /5 //ZE.?( 5/ 55 L K95 m Q Zn (/75ers: g a bwh 5;

June 30, 1925-. v 1,544,259

H. W. MCQUAID ET AL DEVICE FOR AND SYSTEMQF' REGULATING TEMPERATURESFiled March 2. 1922 4 Sheets-Shet 3 1m m m Inventors:

June 30, 1925..

H. w. 'MCQUAID ET AL .DEVICE FOR AND SYSTEM OF REG'UIJATIM} TEMPERATURESFiled March 2. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 30, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,544,259 PATENT, OF'FICE.

HARRY W. MCQUAID AND ALEXANDER G. RIPBERGER, O'F CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNORSTO THE TIMKEN ROLLER BEARING COMPANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

DEVICE FOR AND SYSTEM RE GULATING TEMPERATURES.

Application fi led March 2, 1922. Serial No. 540,661.

1 '0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY W. MGQUAID and ALEXANDER G. RIPBERGER,citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Canton, inthe county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Devices for and Systems of Regulating Temperatures, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to devices for regulating temperatures and has forits principal objects to provide a device that is simple and inexpensiveto operate, that will not easily get out of order, and that willaccurately regulate temperatures. Another principal object is to providea system of regulating the temperaturev of a plurality of furnaces orother units with one heat responsive instrument and switchingmechanisin. The invention consists Principally in the parts andcombinations parts and in the system hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein likereference characters indicate like parts wherever they occur, v

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a temperature .regulating deviceembodying our invention; j

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof; F ig. 3 is a top plan view thereof;Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end view; 4 Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line 65-6 ofF 1g. 2; Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View of a temperature regulatingsystem embodying our invention; Fig. 8 is an end view of the switchmember of said system;

Fig. 9-is a side view thereof, and

Fig. 10 is an end view from the end op.-

posite that from which Fig. 8 is taken.

A furnace, oven or the like 1 is provided with an opening 2 into whichprojects the end of apipe 3 that issupplied with air.

- A burner nozzle 4, using oil for example as fuel projects into the airpipe 3, and is supplied by it with the air required for the fuel toburn. The nozzle 4 is connected'with a pipe 5 that supplies it withfuel, and said 9 is-provided with a central sleeve portion 11 thatclosely hugs the shaft 1.0 and projects through the air pipe 3 and issecured to the'shaft. 10 outside of said air pipe. Thus the damper 9 mabe adjusted.

. The main fuel supply pipe 6 delivers the fuel to the interior of afuel valve housing 12 that is conveniently supported on a bracket 13projecting from the air pipe 3. The valve housing 12is preferablyprovided with a conical valve seat 14 in which is disposed a conicalvalve 15. The housing 12 isprovided with a chamber 16, on the and thevalvehas an opening 17 therethrough so that fuel may pass through andthe pressure be equalized on both sides of said valve 15, .thuspreventing the valve from Wedging in its seat and making it easier tooperate. A spring 18 is provided to hold the valve in its seat 14 whenthe other side of the valve 15 from the pipe'6,

that communicate with a second fuel pipe 22 that is provided with theadjustablevalve 7. The valve 15 is provided with passageways 23 wherebyfuel may pass from the valve housing 12 into either the fuel pipe 20 orthe other fuel pipe 22. The valve. 15 is adapted to be oscillated andwhen one of the valve passageways 23 is in register with the openingleading into a. fuel pipe, the other passageway is out of register. Theadjustable valve 7 is set to create a higher temperature than thatdesired for the furnace and the other adjustable valve 8 is set tocreate a lower temperature.

y a oose or universal joint 25. sho

shaft is connected to the fuel valve mounted on said shaft 10 is ahangerarm i 29 that projects from both sides of the shaft 10. The hanger arm29 is mounted to rock with the shaft 10 as by means of a pin 30 and hasa recess Bl into which the floating member of the universal joint 28projects lilountcd on the bracket member 13 that projects from the airpipe 3 are solenoid coils whose cores are supported from the ends of thehanger arm 29 As one or the other of the solenoids is operated by thehereinafter described means the shafts l0 and 2e are rocked and the fuelvalve 15 and the damper 9 are turned Fixed on the shaft 10 is disk 34that has an arcuate electrical conductor 35 secured thereon and that mayhave arcuate insulating members 36 secured thereto at the sides or saidconductor 35. Supported on a projection 37 on the air pipe 3 andarranged in an arc to contact with the conductor and insulating members36 of the disk are contact members 88, 39 and 4:0 that are disposed sothat the middle contact member 39 is always in contact with theconductor 35 and the other contact members 38 and ll) are alternately incontact therewith. The contact members 38 and d0 are connectedrespectively with the solenoid coils 32 by Wires i1 and th l 32 areconnected respectively with 1 .g i2 and i3 of a temperature indicator inlike by wires ii. The middle contact me mer is connected Witn theindicating pointer d5 of said t perature indicator by a wire A source ofpower is cut into the wire 46 to iurnish the current to operate thesolenoids.

it thermocouple e8 in the furnace is connected with the indicatingpointer or said temperature indicator in such a way that is currentgenerated by the thermocouple said pointer in one dircce the right). Thepointer 4&2 oi? the temperature indis .et at predetermined point belov.ed turn-ace temperature and T 3 set a predetermined poi above thedesired temperature.

Assuming tha parts are in the positions shown in F. 1. if thetemperature the furnace icreases the indicating pointer will move to theright and will contact with the pointer thus closing the circuit throughthe solenoid 233 whose core is up and through the contact members andcausing said solenoid. core to be lowered, thus turning the fuel valveto and the air damper {l and turning the dish 23-; so that its c luctormember 35 is out of contact with we contact member il, oi? the'solenoidthat has just been operaiei'l and is in contact w' the contact member ofthe other SOlGllOlCt.

Thus so long as the temperature of the furnace remains above thatdesired, the valve will not be again operated. It the pointer contactsagain with the high temperature pointer, the electric circuit will notbe closed because of the position ot the disk When the temperature ofthe furnace has lowered suliiciently, the pointer contacts with the lowtemperature pointer 4-2 and a circuit is closed through the other coil32, whose core :33 is lowered to turn the valves, so that fuel and airwill be admitted to the burner in larger quantities.

A spring 949 secured to a projection 5L5) on the air pipe and to an armd5) on the disk 34- tends to hold it in moved position and preventsaccidental turning of the valves due to rebounding of the solenoidcores.

In Figs. '7 to 10 is illustrated a system whereby the temperature of aplurality of furnaces is regulated by means of one temperatureindicator. The system comprises a plurality of valve. operating devicesof the kind hereinbefore described, a temperature indicatinginstrun'ient, and means .lor co-ordinating the respective electriccircuits of said valve operating devices with the correspondingthermoelectric currents acting on said temperature indicatinginstrument.

In the preferred form, the contact members of the low and hightemperature pointers and l8 are connected respectively with one coil oreich pair of solenoids by wires 51 and 52, and hence with the brushesif) and. 38. The middle contact member 3') each sol.en..,id contactdial; connected with an arcuate conductor .73 by a wire 5 1-, saidarcuate conductors being arranged in a circle concentric with an annularconductor that is connected with the indicating pointer 46 of theindicator by a wire 56. Preferably said coi'iductors 53 and are. mountedon a non-coiulucting plate 537 and are disposed in suitable recesses insaid plate so as to be flush with the upper surface thereof. The plateis mounted on a suitable base 58. A source of power as forms part of theconnection between the conductor 55 and the indicating pointer There isone arcuate conductor 1323 for the valve operatin mechanism of each"furnace. The COilfldtfi'OlS are marlccd A. B, C D, E respectively inthe drawings. PreflUJ erably a non-conducting plate 60 may be mounted onthe base. 58. On said plate are a plurality of binding posts 61 (A to E)to which are secured the ends of the respective wires 54. Each ofsaidbinding posts 61 is connected to the corresponding arcuate conductor53 by a wire v62 (A to E). The plate 60 is also provided with a bindingpost 63 to which is secured the wire 56 and which is connected with theannular con- 5 ductor 55 by awire 64.

- rotary shaft 66 that is mounted concentricon a suitable base 71.

An arm 65 ismounted onone end of a are, however, electrically insulatedfrom the arm 65.

Disposed transversely of the other end of the shaft 66 is a plate 70that is mounted On said plate 70 are mounted a pair of annularconductors 72 and two sets of arcuate conductors 73 arranged in circles,all of said conductors being disposed concentrically and in suitablerecesses in said plate so as to be flush with the surface thereof. Thereis one pair of arcuate conductors for the thermocou le of each furnace,the arcuate conductors E ing marked A to E respectively to correspondwith the arcuate conductors 53 above described. a p

An arm 74 that is a conductor ofelectricity is mounted on the shaft 66and has contact points 75 that contact respectively with one setofarcuate conductors 73, say the outer, and one annular conductor '72,say the outer. Mounted on the shaft 66 and spaced away and insulatedfrom-said arm 74 is a second arm 76 that is a conductor of electricityand has contact points 77 adapted respectively to engage the otherannular conductor 72and, set of arcuate con ductors 73.

The annular conductors 7 2 are connected with the terminals of thetemperature indicator by wires 78 and the two arcuate conductors 73 ofeach set are connected with the ends of the thermocouple 48 of a furnaceby wires 79.

Preferably a plate 80 is mounted on the.

base 71 and on it are mounted a plurality of binding posts 81 (A to E)to which are secured the ends of the wires 7 9. The binding posts areconnected with the arcuate conductors 73 (A to E) by wires 82 (A to E);r

The plate 80 ,is also provided with binding posts 83 to which aresecured the wires 78 that lead to the temperature indicator and whichare connected withthe annular conductors by wires 84.

The shaft 66 is rotated in any suitable way, as by a gear 85 that isdriven bya worm 86 on a rotating shaft 87 Whichreceives itsmotionpreferably from a rotating shaft in a temperature recorder orpotentiometer, of any suitable type. When the contact points of theconductor arms 74 and 76 are in engagement respectively with the arcuateand annular conductors 73 and 72 of a particular furnace (furnace D Fig.7) a circuit is closed leading from one end of the thermocouple to anarcuate conductor 73, from the arcuate conductor to an annular conductor72, from the annular conductor to the temperature indicator, from thetemperature indicator back to the other annular conductor 72, from theannular conductor to the other arcuate conductor 73 and from the arcuateconductor back to the other end of the thermocouple.

At the same time that the thermocouple of a particular furnace isconnected with the temperature indicator, the solenoid circuit of thefuel valve of that furnace is connected with the circuit of the movablepointer of the temperature indicator. Thus, if the temperature of afurnace reaches the maximum or minimum limit while its thermocouple isconnected with the temperature indicator, the fuel valve of the burnerfor that furnace will be turned if required.

The shaft 66 rotates and thus the thermo couples of the several furnacesare in turn connected with the temperature indicator. The temperatureregulating device, makes it possible to maintain furnace temperaturesvery near the temperatures device. The device is simple and economicaland not likely to get out of repair. It operates on a mini-- mum ofelectric current.

The system described makes it possible to regulate the temperatures of aplurality of furnaces or other units with one temperature indicator.Each furnace thermocouple is in connection with the temperature indicator long enough and frequently enough to successfully andsatisfactorily regulate the fuel supply.

Obviously different types of temperature indicators and switchmechanisms from those described may be used, and numerous other changesmay be made both. in the individual regulating devices and in the system without departing from our invention, and wedo not wish to belimited to the precise construction shown.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the kind described, the combination with athermocouple, a fuel valve, solenoids for operating said fuel va and atemperature indicator connec said solenoids. of a switch member foroperating said solenoids comprising an oscillatahle disk, an arcuateconductor thereon, and three contact members disposed in an arc tocontact with said arcuate conductor, the middlc contact member being incontact with the arcuate conductor at all times, and the outer contactmembers being each in coni act with said arcuate conductor in oneposition of said disk, and said outer contact members being connectedrespectively with a solenoid, said switch member being in an electriccircuit including said solenoids and said temperature indicator.

2-. In a device of the lillltl described, the combination with athern'iocouple, a fuel valve, solenoids for operating said fuel valveand a temperature indicator in circuit with said solenoids, of a switchmember for operating said solenoids comprising an oscillatable disk, anarcuate conductor thereon, and three contact memheis disposed in an arcto contact with said arcuate conductor, the middle contact member beingin contact with the arcuateconductor at all times, and the outer contactmembers being each in contact with said arcuate conductor in oneposition of said disk, and each of said outer contact members beingconnected respectively with one of said solenoids, and means tending tohold said disk in moved position, said switch member being in anelectric circuit including said solenoids and said temperature indicator3. A furnace temperature regulating system comprising a plurality offurnaces, a thermocouple for each furnace, a pair of fuel valves foreach furnace, one of said valves being adapted to supply a comparativelylarge amount of fuel and the other fuel valve being adapted to supply acomparzn tively small amount of fuel, a valve to admit fuel to said fuelvalves one at a time, means for operating said last mentioned valve, atemperature indicator, means for bringing the thermocouples of theseveral furnaces successively into connection with said temperatureindicator, and means operatively connecting said temperature ind'ratorand said valve operating means,

l. A furnace temperature regulating tem comprising a plurality offurnaces, a thermocouple for each furnace, a pair of fuel valves foreach furnace, one of said valves being adjusted to supply a greateramount of fuel than is required to keep the furnace at the desiredtemperature and the other fuel 'alve being adjusted to supply a smalleramount of fuel than is required to keep the furnace at the desiredtemperature, a valve to supply fuel to said fuel valves, one at a time.solenoids for operating said last mentioned valve, a temperatureindicator. means for bringing the thermocouples of the several furnacessuccessively into connection furnace at the desired temperature, a valveto supply fuel to said fuel valves, one at a time, solenoids foroperating said last mentioned valve, a temperature indicator, means forbringing th thern'iocouples of the several furnaces successively intoconnection with said temperature indicator, and means for connectingeach solenoid circuit with its control circuit when the correspondingthermocouple is connected with the temperature indicator.

(5. In a system of the kind described, a plurality of furnaces, a fuelvalve for each furnace, a rotary shaft, means for rotating said shaft, aplate disposed transversely of the end of said shaft, an annularconductor of electricity mounted on said plate concentric with saidshaft, a plurality of arcuate conductors mounted onsaid plate anddisposed in a circle concentric with said shaft and said annularconductor, a contact plate mounted on the end of said shaft andcontacting with said annular conductor and said arcuate conductors, aplurality of oscillatable conductors, a pair of solenoids for eachoscillatable conductor, each pair of solenoids being operativelyconnected with one of said fuel valves, one of which solenoids isconnected with said oscillatable conductor at all times, said annularconductor being connected with one terminal of a source of electricityand said arcuate conductors being connected respectively with the otherterminal of said sourc of electricity through one of said oscillatableconductors, and means controlled by the temperature of each furnace forcontrolling the electric circuit that operates the fuel valve of saidfurnace.

7. In a system of the kind described, a plurality of furnaces, a fuelvalve for each furnace, a rotatable shaft, means for rotating saidshaft, a plate disposed transversely of the end of aid shaft, an annularconductor of electricity mounted n saidplate concentrio with said shaft.a plurality of arcuate conductors mounted on said plate and disposed ina circle concentric with said shaft and said annular coi'iductor. therebeing one arcuate conductor for ach furnace and the circuit through eacharcuate conductor constituting the control means for the fuel valve ofthat furnace. a contact plate mountedion the end of said shaft andcontacting with tricity and said arcuate conductors being,

connected respectively with the other terminal of said source ofelectricity, and means controlled by the temperature of each furnace forcontrolling the electric circuit that operates the fuel valves of saidfurnace.

8. In a system of the kind described, a plurality of furnacesfa fuelvalve for each furnace, a thermocouple for each furnace, a rotatableshaft, means for rotating said shaft, a plate disposed transversely'ofthe end of said shaft, a pair of annular conductors of electricitymounted on said plate concentric with said shaft, a pair of sets ofarcuate conductors mounted on said plate and disposed in circlesconcentric with said annular condiictors and said shaft, an arm at theend of said shaft adapted to rotate over said an- I nular and arcuateconductors, said arm having electrical conductors, one of which isadapted to contact with one annular conductor and the members of one setof arcuate conductors and the other of which conductors is adapted tocontact with the other annular conductor and set of arcuate conductors,eachmember of one set of arcuate e0nductors being connected with one endof the thermocouple of a furnace and the corresponding member of theother set being connected with the other end of said thermocouple, andthe annular conductors being in a circuit containing a temperatureindicator and means controlled by said temperaelectricity mounted onsaid plate concentric with said shaft, a plurality of arcuate conductors mounted 011 said plate and disposed in a circle concentric withsaid shaft and said annular conductor, a contact plate mounted on theend of said shaft and contacting with said annular conductor and saidvarcuate conductors, said annular conductor being connected with oneterminal of a source of electricity and said arcuate conductors beingconnected respectivelywith the other terminal of said source ofelectricity, said circuit constituting the control means for said fuelvalves, a second plate disposed transversely of the other end of saidshaft, a pair of annular conductors o electricity mounted on aid secondplate con centric with said shaft, a pair of sets of arcuate conductorsmounted on said plate and disposed in circle concentric with saidannular conductors and said shaft, an arm at the end of said shaftadapted to rotate over said annular and arcuate conductors, saidarmhaving a pair of electrical conductors, one of which is adapted tocontact with one annular conductor and the members of one set of arcuateconductors and the other of which conductors is adapted to contact withthe other annular conductor and set of arcuate conductors, each memberof one set of arcuate conductors being connected with one end of thethermocouple of a furnace and the corresponding member of the other setbeing connected with the other end of said thermocouple, and the annularconductors being in a circuit containing a temperature indicator, saidtemperature indicator controlling said fuel valve operating circuit.

Signed at Canton, Ohio, this 21st day of February, 1922.

HARRY W. MQQUAID ALEXANDER Gr. RIPBERGER

